Category Archives: Birding

Desert National Wildlife Refuge:

We hadn’t planned on backtracking, but after talking with and exchanging information with some fellow nomads, we realize there are a few more places we want to visit before leaving this part of Nevada.

We head off to Desert National Wildlife Refuge…Five long washboarded dirt and gravel road miles, and arrive late enough that it is really too late to see much. DNWF makes it clear that dry camping is allowable on the back roads of the refuge, so we find us a lovely spot, watch the sunset, and retire, so we can get going early enough the next morning to be able to hike a couple of trails before it warms up too much, and while the birds are most active.

It’s a beautiful place, a true oasis in the middle of the desert. Most of the back country requires a 4 wheel drive to crisscross the mountains and dirt roads, and although our Van has pretty high clearance, we decide not to take her on any more bumpy rides, after all the work we put into her this past winter.

We spend the morning around Corn Creek instead. Tall Cottonwoods, native shrubbery, ponds, walkways, trails, and lush green meadows surround a beautiful new visitor center. We hike on some of the trails, and enjoy a slow and easy time of it. It’s very relaxing to just hang out and enjoy the wildlife here. We meet a photographer from Massachusetts, exchange bird information, and spend much time chatting away the morning.

So many birds are busy building nests now! They are flying to and fro carrying all sorts of materials. This little Verdin has quite a mouthful!

We continue to laze around here until it starts to heat up and all is quiet in the woods.

Cold Creek Village

After making it back out and off of that horrible washboard road, (which evidently is about to get paved) we drive a few miles up the highway and take a left turn up Cold Creek Road.

This is an interesting area – the entire village of Cold Creek is off grid. The off grid homes are not just little cabins, but real substantial sized houses, all with solar panels mounted on roofs. The surrounding area is a large ATV riding area. And it is also a quaint community where wild horses roam freely.

We find it to be a beautiful valley, with snow covered peaks rising up from the desert floor.

These Wild Horses here seem much more tame than other wild horses we’ve seen. Surely they interact with the people who live in the Cold Creek community.

Of course there are signs posted asking visitors not to feed them, but there is evidence that they do get handouts, and they act like they are used to at least occasionally getting treats from someone.

Pretty hard to resist those eyes and soft noses.

No treats from us, but I did get to rub a few of those noses.

It’s the middle of the day while we visit, and mostly the horses are pretty quiet, but we do find a few youngsters a bit more frisky.

Nothing like wild horses in the desert mountains!

Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge:

Finally we wander into Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, on the southern border of the huge Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex. On the northeast corner of the DNWF is where Pahranagat National Refuge is located. Remember, we were there last week.

We are surprised by yet another oasis, rare fish living in the spring water here, and more large reservoirs of water. Where does all this water come from?? I thought deserts didn’t have water!

We mostly drive around these reservoirs, then pull up to the visitor center, after it is closed for the day, and enjoy a picnic dinner all alone enjoying a lovely dusk as eveningbefalls us.

Shall I say how surprised we are, that we are loving this part of Nevada so much.

After all, we are just a stone’s throw away from Yucca Mountain, and the largest military Nuclear testing site in the West.

Still in Nevada, we decide to explore the lesser used areas around Lake Mead.

They are less used, because the water level is historically low for this man made reservoir – the holding tank for Hoover Dam.

When the outflow is more than the inflow, the math doesn’t quite work out, creating problems. Hmm.

Too many people, too much water use, too little rainfall. That seems to be the real equation.

Now that the levels are so low, and the water is so warm because of the low levels, the algae levels are extremely high, creating toxic conditions.

Basically what we have is yet another deteriorating watering system.

This part of the Colorado River is suppose to supply the water to all of Las Vegas, much of San Diego, and huge areas in Arizona.

The scenery is still Beautiful!

And for us, less recreation users (water skiers, jet skiers, and boaters) means more quiet peaceful camping spots. The boat launches are all closed at this end of the lake due to low water.

We spend three days dispersed camping here at Stewarts Point, on the north end of the lake, enjoying front row lakeside seats.

Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge

Leaving Lake Mead, we retreat to Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge, where we find a sweet little campground right on the water again. Here our van door opens 15 feet from the lake.

This water is natural, not man-made. It comes forth from natural springs that bubble from the ground creating lush fields for farmers, and heavenly refuges for birds and waterfowl passing by on their flights north and south every year.

Another three days was spent here at upper Pahranagat Lake, enjoying company such as this pair of Mallards, who kept us constantly entertained.

They were so comfortable with us, they ventured into our campsite a few times a day, to see what crumbs they could find.

No…we didn’t feed them. There is plenty of food in this lake! We also watched and listened to huge fish jumping all day long.

Driving around the lower lake we spot this Osprey. It’s been awhile since seeing one of these handsome hawks.

Note the fish in it’s talons. I didn’t realize that, until looking at these photos a little closer. I hope I didn’t interrupt him (?) too much.

This Great Blue Heron, was another recurring visitor. We realized that it was gathering nesting material, and would frequently fly back and forth with twigs and branches in it’s large bill.

On a long hike around the upper lake one evening, we were really surprised to encounter this Vermillion flycatcher. We saw these beautiful birds back in Arizona last fall, and were enthralled to meet up with them again here. They are now in full breeding color. There must have been about four pairs of them at least.

We really love this camping area, and could easily spend a few weeks here exploring.

The seashore (if you can call it that) looks from a distance like beautiful soft white sand. Up close, walking upon it, it crunches. The “sand” is actually made up of billions of dead brittle barnacles!

Then there are these fish carcasses that litter the shore.

The water is disappearing…leaving salts behind. Salts that have drained here from irrigation.

The Salton Sea was formed when the mighty Colorado River broke through diversion canals and flooded a huge low lying basin in the early 1900’s. According to the Salton Sea Museum, approximately 600 tons of salt are added to the lake annually, due to runoff of irrigated fields in the Imperial Valley. As water evaporates from Salton Sea, the salt is left behind in high concentrations, killing off the fish in the water, and the soil around the lakeside.

The future is not pretty for wildlife, migratory birds, or recreational use.

Where will they all go?

There are groups and agencies trying to save the Salton Sea.

Fresh water would be nice, if there was more to be had. But everyone wants that.

The riparian areas around the perimeters of the sea support non-waterfowl, such as this pretty little Verdin.

We made it out to Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in Los Osos, the sweetheart of locals, where dog lovers walk their dogs, birdwatchers scope out the avian visitors, and baby boomers sip wine while watching the sunset.

Green-winged Teal

Happily, we find birds! (The duck kind, and some shore birds too!)

Blue-winged Teal

We’ve been looking for both this Green-winged Teal, AND the Blue-winged Teal all summer, and here there are hanging out together in Los Osos.

Willet

Lesser Yellowlegs (might be a Greater Yellowlegs)

These long-legged birds have long bills to match. Seems like a definite advantage to finding grub for dinner.

Sandpiper (of some type)

Another stop to see our pals at Go Westy, we pick up a new knob for our stove top in the van, and a new cup holder for the passenger seat up front. Always a joy to visit the folks there and gawk at the beautiful camper vans they restore.

And finally, finally…we have a heater, defroster, AND air conditioner that work again, after six months of complete dysfunction of all the above. Thank you German Auto in San Luis Obispo. You guys are awesome!

Long-billed Curlew

This Curlew bill may be a bit too long, but I guess it works for him.

Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is a great fisher-bird, and so graceful and beautiful to look at.

Many Ducks Gathering

Bird of a feather, flock together. Hmmm.

A beautiful day, a wonderful time in Los Osos, and farewell to the ocean for awhile.